Conventionally, a sheet lifting and lowering mechanism is provided in a sheet feed device of an image forming apparatus (for example, an MFP) of a multi-function peripheral. There is a sheet lifting and lowering mechanism realized by a system control mechanism including a motor and a sensor. In a case in which the sheet lifting and lowering mechanism is constituted by a mechanical structure, a planetary gear and a gear train may be used.
In the case in which there is a sheet feed conveyance path in a cassette pull-out direction, a working part for depressing a sheet lifting and lowering tray is arranged in the cassette pull-out direction. At the time of pulling out a sheet feed cassette from an apparatus main body, a pull-out distance of the sheet feed cassette which is a distance that can be used in depressing the sheet lifting and lowering tray is short and a cassette pull-out load becomes heavy, resulting in deterioration in the operability.
The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide an image processing apparatus which can sufficiently obtain a distance that can be used in depressing the lifting and lowering tray and can reduce the load at the time of pulling out the cassette even if the working part for depressing the sheet lifting and lowering tray provided in the sheet feed cassette is arranged in the pull-out direction of the sheet feed cassette.